Knee brace

ABSTRACT

An orthopedic appliance for bracing the human knee and restraining the same against normal knee bending movement or genuflection, or other knee movement, such as lateral movement. The appliance wraps around the leg and is provided with an opening through which the patella may extend, and opposite such opening is a resilient pad of tapered form engageable with the popliteal area of the knee. Rearwardly of the pad are rigid longitudinally extending bracing elements, and additional parallel elements are provided adjacent the patella opening to prevent lateral movement.

United States Patent [191 Moore [451 Aug. 27, 1974 KNEE BRACE [76]Inventor: Robert R. Moore, 5401 San Leandro St., Oakland, Calif. 94601[22] Filed: Mar. 16, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 342,163

[52] US. Cl. 128/80 C, 128/165 [51] Int. Cl. A611 3/00 [58] Field ofSearch... 128/80 C, 80 R, 80 A, 80 B,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,270,685 l/1942 Miller128/165 2,641,761 6/1958 Schultz 128/80 2,858,540 11/1958 Morrison 2/243,092,110 6/1963 Duensing.... 128/165 3,375,821 4/1968 Meek 128/803,473,527 10/1969 Spiro 128/80 UI'HER PUBLICATIONS Richards Mfg.Catalogue, Richards Knee Support,

page 17, May 9, 1966.

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-J. Yasko Attorney,Agent, or Firm- Harris Zimmerman 1 1 ABSTRACT An orthopedic appliancefor bracing the human knee and restrainingthe same against normal kneebending movement or genuflection, or other knee movement,

such as lateral movement. The appliance wraps around the leg and isprovided with an opening through which the patella may extend, andopposite such opening is a resilient pad of tapered form engageable withthe popliteal area of the knee. Rearwardly of the pad are rigidlongitudinally extending bracing elements, and additional parallelelements are provided adjacent the patella opening to prevent lateralmovement.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures KNEE BRACE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONI-Ieretofore, a number of orthopedic appliances have been developed foruse as a brace for the human knee or elbow for restricting the normalbending movement of such a joint. These appliances are not premanentlyaffixed to the leg or arm as is a plaster of Paris cast, but arenormally intended to be placed on and removed from the leg or arm by thepatient himself or by a nonprofessional .helper. Typical of one of suchprior art devices is the knee support disclosed in US. Pat. No.3,473,527.

Appliances heretofore available possessed a'number of shortcomings orfeatures of disadvantage. By way of example only, certain of suchdevices have to be specifically bent or altered for each patient,usually by the attending physician or other trained person-Also, evenafter the appliance is contoured for a particular patient, there remainsa tendency for the device to slip or move out of the proper location.Further, such devices are frequently uncomfortable for the patient towear for any extended period of time.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide anorthopedic appliance which overcomes the objections of comparable priorart devices, and which may be easily placed on persons of differentsizes without bending or altering the same, and which will reamin inproper position on such persons with little or no discomfort.

It should be pointed out that while the device about to be described isexplained in connection with the general immobilization of the knee, thesame general construction would be applicable for an elbow brace. Insuch a case, the pad would be placed adjacent the anticubical fossa areaof the elbow, and the opening formed by the recesses in the base sheetwould be placed adjacent the olecrannon area of the elbow.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the device of thepresent invention in closed or operative position.

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken in the plane 2-2 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the inside of the appliance when in open orinoperative position.

FIG. 5 is an end view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the outside of the appliance when in open orinoperative position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The device of the presentinvention, as best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7 of the accompanyingdrawings, consists of a generally planar base sheet of flexibleresilient material, generally designated at 12, having an inner surface14, an outer surface 16, an upper edge 18, a lower edge 20, and opposedside edges 22 and 24. The sheet 12 may be formed as a laminate ofseveral layers, with the inner surface 14 (which will engage the skin ofthe warer) being of a soft non-irritating material such as flannel, andthe outer surface being of a more durablefabric such as duck, canvas,'felt or' the like. The side edges'are provided with inwardly directedrecesses 26 intermediate the edges 18' and 20 which serve to define akneecap receiving openingwhen the device is worn on the leg. A pluralityof straps 28 extend laterally from both sides of the base sheet-and suchstraps are adapted to engage with buckle portions on straps 30 extendinglaterally from opposed portions of the other side of the sheet when thesides 22 and 24 are wrapped around the usersleg into the operativeposition shown in FIGS. 1 and '3 of the drawings. Thestraps may befurther provided with loop and hook fabric fasteners to facilitate thesecuring of the device onto the 'wearers leg with the upper edge beingdisposed in the rality of rigid stays 36, formed of'flat metal elementswhich are embedded in pockets 38 extending longitudinally between andperpendicular to the edges '18 and 20. As here shown, three of suchstiffening stays are provided and occupy a central portion of the basesheet. As best seen in FIG. 2,these rigid and generally planar flatstays are disposed opposite to the patella opening when the device iswrapped, rolled or folded into its operative leg embracing position.

Due to the natural body cavity in the back of the knee, the stiffenerswill be spaced from the leg in the popliteal region, and merely engagethe back of the leg above and below the joint region. Also, even withthe straps 28, 30 tightened, there is a tendency of appliances of thisnature to shift longitudinally. Accordingly, as an important feature ofthis invention, mounted on the inner surface 14 of the base sheet is aresilient pad 42 of foam or similar material, preferably of generallyrectangular configuration in plan (See FIG. 4). In longitudinal section,however, the pad 42 has a planar undersurface 44 adhesively or otherwisesecured-to surface l4, flat end walls 46 parallel to edges 18 and 20 ofthe base sheet, and an inner surface 48 which inclines upwardly fromeach wall 46 reaching an apex 50 medially of the pad. With such a padplaced in the popliteal region, a degree of comfortable support will begiven, notwithstanding the stiffeners 36, and the device will beeffectively restrained against movement or shifting on the leg.

To add further rigidity to the device, an additional planar stiffener orstay 52 is provided intermediate the opposed side edges 54 of the padand the edges 22, 24 of the base sheet. Overlying each such stay is apad 56 of foam or other material similar to the material of pad 42. Whenthe device is positioned on the leg, the stays 52 will extendlongitudinally along the leg on opposite sides of the kneecap opening,and prevent lateral knee movement.

I claim:

1. An orthopedic appliance for immobilizing a limb joint comprising: agenerally pliant base sheet deformable from a flat inoperable positionto a generally tubular configuration having opposed axial ends toembrace the limb; means releasably securing said sheet in said tubularconfiguration about the joint of the limb; a rigid planar stiffernerextending longitudinally of and secured to said sheet medially of theopposed side edges thereof to be positioned at the rear of the joint;resilient pad means overlying at least a medial portion of andinteriorly of said stiffener, and being secured to said sheet; said padmeans increasing in thickness from its opposed axial ends to itslongitudinal central portion for conforming to and filling the naturalbody cavity be tween said stiffener and the rearward portion of the limbjoint; and said stiffener and pad means preventing bending of the limbjoint.

2. An appliance as set forth in claim 1 in which said pad has a flattriangular configuration in longitudinal cross-section.

'3. An appliance as set forth in claim 2 in which said pad has opposedside walls spaced inwardly from said base sheet side edges, and said endportions of said pad are spaced inwardly of the longitudinally spacedend portions of said base sheet.

4. An appliance as set forth in claim 1 in which a plurality of saidstiffeners are provided each extending between the opposite end edges ofsaid sheet and all having their central portions subjacent said pad.

5. An appliance as set forth in claim 1 in which a second rigid planarstiffener is secured to said sheet intermediate said pad and each ofsaid side edges of said sheet.

6. An appliance as set forth in claim 5 in which a strip of resilientpad material overlies each of said second stiffeners.

7. An appliance as set forth in claim 1 in which said pad is ofgenerally rectangular plan configuration.

8. An appliance as set forth in claim 1 in which said side edges areprovided with inwardly directed recesses intermediate the longitudinallyspaced opposed axial ends of said base sheet, said recesses cooperatingto define an opening receiving the front projection of the limb joingwhen said base sheet is deformed into said tubular configuration.

9. An orthopedic appliance comprising a generally pliant base sheetdeformable from a flat inoperable position to a generally tubularconfiguration to embrace a limb, means releasably securing said sheet insaid tubular configuration, a rigid planar stiffener extendinglongitudinally of and secured to said sheet medially of the opposed sideedges thereof, a resilient pad of material overlying at least a medialportion of said stiffener and secured to said sheet, said pad having endportions of a lesser thickness than the longitudinal central portionthereof and said pad having a flat triangular configuration inlongitudinal cross section.

10. An appliance as set forth in claim 9, in which said pad has opposedside walls spaced inwardly from said base sheet side edges, and said endportions of said pad are spaced inwardly of the longitudinally spacedend portions of said base sheet.

1. An orthopedic appliance for immobilizing a limb joint comprising: agenerally pliant base sheet deformable from a flat inoperable positionto a generally tubular configuration having opposed axial ends toembrace the limb; means releasably securing said sheet in said tubularconfiguration about the joint of the limb; a rigid planar stiffernerextending longitudinally of and secured to said sheet medially of theoPposed side edges thereof to be positioned at the rear of the joint;resilient pad means overlying at least a medial portion of andinteriorly of said stiffener, and being secured to said sheet; said padmeans increasing in thickness from its opposed axial ends to itslongitudinal central portion for conforming to and filling the naturalbody cavity between said stiffener and the rearward portion of the limbjoint; and said stiffener and pad means preventing bending of the limbjoint.
 2. An appliance as set forth in claim 1 in which said pad has aflat triangular configuration in longitudinal cross-section.
 3. Anappliance as set forth in claim 2 in which said pad has opposed sidewalls spaced inwardly from said base sheet side edges, and said endportions of said pad are spaced inwardly of the longitudinally spacedend portions of said base sheet.
 4. An appliance as set forth in claim 1in which a plurality of said stiffeners are provided each extendingbetween the opposite end edges of said sheet and all having theircentral portions subjacent said pad.
 5. An appliance as set forth inclaim 1 in which a second rigid planar stiffener is secured to saidsheet intermediate said pad and each of said side edges of said sheet.6. An appliance as set forth in claim 5 in which a strip of resilientpad material overlies each of said second stiffeners.
 7. An appliance asset forth in claim 1 in which said pad is of generally rectangular planconfiguration.
 8. An appliance as set forth in claim 1 in which saidside edges are provided with inwardly directed recesses intermediate thelongitudinally spaced opposed axial ends of said base sheet, saidrecesses cooperating to define an opening receiving the front projectionof the limb joing when said base sheet is deformed into said tubularconfiguration.
 9. An orthopedic appliance comprising a generally pliantbase sheet deformable from a flat inoperable position to a generallytubular configuration to embrace a limb, means releasably securing saidsheet in said tubular configuration, a rigid planar stiffener extendinglongitudinally of and secured to said sheet medially of the opposed sideedges thereof, a resilient pad of material overlying at least a medialportion of said stiffener and secured to said sheet, said pad having endportions of a lesser thickness than the longitudinal central portionthereof and said pad having a flat triangular configuration inlongitudinal cross section.
 10. An appliance as set forth in claim 9, inwhich said pad has opposed side walls spaced inwardly from said basesheet side edges, and said end portions of said pad are spaced inwardlyof the longitudinally spaced end portions of said base sheet.